


Isle of Madness

by Sheason2000



Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Genre: Hallucinations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 20:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20088331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheason2000/pseuds/Sheason2000





	Isle of Madness

Waves lapping at the shore, a breeze that was neither hot nor cold, air neither fresh nor stagnant. An island with a single tree. It was peaceful but lonely. He did quite hate it there but the man behind the door in the tree said he wasn't allowed to leave quite yet. He'd questioned the tree door once but after a few moments of thought it was clear. Trees were wood as were doors. Why wouldn't the tree have a door then? After all if there was no door he'd never have visitors unless someone brought a boat but he doubted the man behind the door would like that. There had been a boat once. He'd tried to climb onto it but the deck was gone and he'd plummeted into the zee and there was a loud crack and a scream of pain. When he woke next he'd been on the island again and reprimanded by the man behind the door. "Stay put." They'd say. "I'm lonely." He would reply. After that a friend had been allowed to visit which was nice. 

Before that he'd only had the man behind the door and his thoughts which weren't very kind, reminding him of terrible things. Sometimes they looked like him. Sometimes like his friends. Sometimes like his regrets. When they looked like the Forger he would scream and cry and beg at the tree door for company. The thoughts went away with visitors. 

A creak from behind him. A creak? How so? Nothing made noise here but the sea and the thoughts? Oh! Of course! The door made noise! But who was coming through the door? "Karrek?" Rowley! A friend! He stood and smiled, brushing sand from his clothes. He wanted to look his best for his perfect wonderful patron. "Hi!" His friend smiled softly with that concerned look he always had during his visits. "How are you feeling?" "Lovely as always. The air almost has feeling tonight you know. Like maybe if I close my eyes and pretend it will be cold." His friend nodded and walked over, gesturing to the soft sand. "Want to sit back down? I brought you food." Like an obedient puppy he sat, grinning. He did so love when his patron brought food. Hopefully they wouldn't be spiders this time. Rowley said they were croissants but he knew spiders when he saw them. They wanted his eyes and he wasn't letting them near his face.

And so they sat and he watched as Rowley opened the basket showing him eyes. He frowned. "I'm not a spider I don't eat eyes." The concern on Rowleys face grew. "They're muffins Karrek." "No those are eyes. Ask the Man and he'd tell you the same thing." He was firm on this. Those were eyes in the basket and they were staring at him. How rude. "Rowley can you close the basket they're staring and I don't like it." "Of course." With a soft sigh he closed it up. "Would you like me to bring you something else?" He had to stop and think before smiling and nodding eagerly. "Can you bring me something sweet? The food the Man brings is so bland. It tastes like the air. Like nothing." With a soft smile his patron nodded and stood. "I'll be right back then." 

Then he left and the island was silent again. A soft hissing rose up and he turned towards it. "Hel- oh.....hello." It was Rowley. But not Rowley. If it really was him he would have heard the door creak. This was the thoughts. "Worthless. Why did I ever think to take you under my wing. An idiot without a thought to spare beyond sex and murder. A penny a dozen your type. Nothing about you is special." The words hurt. They always did. Like little cuts into his heart and soul. He hung his head. "Oh? Can't even bring yourself to look me in the eyes whore?!" The False-Rowley snarled, slapping him across the face. He cried out in pain, curling into a ball. "You stupid worthless piece of shit! Coward! Not even worth the effort of killing myself." With that it turned and left, dissolving into mist. "No wait! Rowley don't go!" He cried out, scrambling to his feet and chasing after him. As the mist that was once the False-Rowley hit his skin everything went black. 

There was no sound. No light. Only suffocating darkness. And then, a voice. Fires. "You seek forbidden knowledge. We warned you to turn back. To avert your course." "Mr.Fires?! Sir please! Where are you I'm sorry!" The voice continued, layered on its self in the many tones of the Masters, from all sides. "You claim to serve us but you disobey. Disobedience is not tolerated. You will be stripped of your ranks in our service. We will not welcome you back." "NO! No no no please no I'll do better! Mr.Pages! Please tell them I'll do better! Tell them how loyally I've served!!!" His voice was a panicked shriek, tears streaming down his face. He was in his neddy suit. There were claws shredding it, cloaked figures in the dark turning away, leaving him to sob in the shadows. A single voice remained. "You served those who wished to see me buried. My name forgotten. Do you know my name?" "N...no...." A flicker like a candle then it was gone. "Then you are useless to me." 

He was all alone. It was so quiet. Where was Rowley? Why hasn't he come back to save him? How could he save him the tree was gone. There was no door. He was trapped. Wait! A sound. Scraping. Soft and gentle. He knew that noise....no....no...anyone but him....a lost friend hunched over a canvas scraping with his nails, bloodied from work. They did not look at him. "I'm sorry...." "your apologies are worthless. You made your choice. Knowledge above your friends. Above my life, my sanity. Do you even feel regret?" "Yes." His voice is soft. "So much regret. I hurt so many people but you were my friend. I tried to save yo-" But you kept pushing." The man stood and turned to look at him. His eyes were gone, the edges of the sockets charred. Somehow it was better then the hollow deadeyed look. "You kept pushing and pushing and pushing AND PUSHING AND PUSHING AND PUSHING!!!!" They weren't his friend any longer. It was a beast now, wearing the face of his friend as it wrapped its hands around his throat and squeezed. He thrashed and sobbed and tried to plead with no avail. Even in death there would be no respite. He would come back and the monster would strangle him again and again and again. A creak in the distance catches his attention for a moment but the monster squeezing his windpipe quickly regains it. Darkness blurs his vision, making him feel light headed. 

Somewhere a voice is calling him. The hands aren't on his throat. His eyes are closed right. Still he feels as if he's going to die. "....ek.....arr......kar...rek...karrek...." Someones calling him? It sounds so familiar. He wants to know whos calling. Did the beast kill him? Is the boatman calling his name? "Karrek!" He opens his eyes. Its Rowley, lightly shaking him. They're on the island once again. Rowley sighs. "You had me worried." They hug him then wipe away the tears running down his face. "Are you ok?" "mmhm....the thoughts attacked me again...they were trying to kill me..." "I know. But they didn't, you're alive here with me ok?" "Ok." His smile is shaky but genuine and he kisses his Patrons nose. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I brought you cookies." And true to his word he has a plate of cookies, set on the ground beside them. He smiled and gingerly took one, nibbling on it and bracing himself for it to become something strange and inedible. Thankfully it remained a nice simple cookie. No tricks today. He was sure Rowley didn't do it on purpose but it was still irritating. 

Rowley sat beside him and put and arm around his waist. "Where are we right now? Still the island?" Somehow Rowley was blind to the Island so he always asked where they were, listened to Karrek describe how soft the sand they sat on was, how the waves rippled and splashed, how the nothing breeze gentle rustled the tree with a doors leaves. Very serene he thought personally. "Mmhm. The waves are pretty. I want to go home eventually though. I miss my bed and my bats. You're feeding them right?" "Of course." He finished off his cookie and yawned. Though there was no sun to dictate time, being nearly choked to death was exhausting and he could feel sleep setting in. "Stay with me until I fall asleep? Please? The thoughts stay away with you here." Rowley shifted so he could rest his head on his lap, combing his fingers through his hair. "Sure thing. I'll stay as long as you need ok?" He smiled, eyes slipping shut. "Thank you..."


End file.
